Carrick singles out four players for special praise and reveals the reasons behind Manchester United's win over Everton to reach fourth place in the Premier League.
On 24 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Michael Carrick, Manchester United's interim manager, spoke after the 27th round Premier League match of the 2025-26 season, where United edged Everton 1-0 away. The winning goal came in the 71st minute from Benjamin Sesko, who came on as a second-half substitute.
With this result, Manchester United increased their points to 48, climbing to fourth place in the Premier League standings, pushing Chelsea and Liverpool—both with 45 points and rivals for the UEFA Champions League spots—down to fifth and sixth respectively.
Michael Carrick commented on United's victory: "We had to work extremely hard. Credit to Everton—they made it very difficult for us, forcing us to defend a lot inside our penalty area. But our defensive commitment was outstanding."
"Keeping a clean sheet is excellent. We could have played better, but securing a 1-0 away win is definitely something to be pleased about."
Regarding the winning goal by Benjamin Sesko, Carrick said, "It was a superb and clinical finish. I liked how confidently he struck it, a result of the excellent chance created by Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. We have players capable of effective counterattacks. I'm happy for Ben again for coming on and making a difference."
"(On Matheus Cunha) He had to drop back to help defensively in the second half, and he did very well. The cross-field pass leading to the goal was excellent. We needed everyone to play as a team to handle Everton's pressure, and they delivered. If you do that, you get rewarded because we have dangerous players."
Carrick also praised goalkeeper Senne Lammens for his performance, saying, "He made several excellent saves. He remained calm and composed in a challenging environment."
"Many corner kicks curved toward the underbar, but he stayed unflustered, made several key saves, and kept a clean sheet. He was outstanding for us tonight."
"I'm pleased with the result and the team's spirit. Every player gave their all and sacrificed for one another. The result is good, but we still have a lot to work on."
